Kaza Project
Herding4Hope
KAZA
Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area
Project Overview
In 2023 at its annual meeting the Animal Health Sub-Working Group (AHSWG) of the KavangoZambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), identified the need to have a sound understanding of livestock, primarily cattle and shoat numbers and distribution across the TFCA to compliment information gathered on the population numbers, distribution and movement of wildlife. Livestock, particularly cattle and goats, are crucial for livelihoods in the KAZA TFCA landscape, alongside other activities such as cropping and biodiversity conservation. The KAZA TFCA promotes livelihood diversification in ways that align with biodiversity conservation efforts. Whereas livestock development as a key part of rural development in landscapes such as the KAZA TFCA has traditionally been considered a threat or barrier to biodiversity conservation efforts, recent approaches have proven the contrary and highlights the potential for livestock-wildlife coexistence that truly can support both rural development and biodiversity conservation efforts. Such approaches help to diversify livelihood strategies making KAZA communities and their landscapes more resilient. These approaches include livestock-wildlife coexistence and development models such as the Herding 4 Health (H4H) Model, and animal disease control standards that are not geographically based such as commodity-based trade (CBT) in the case of foot-and-mouth disease control. A recent KAZA elephant survey estimated a wildlife:livestock ratio of 1.16:1 in KAZA, highlighting the near equal split in density and their equal importance to the people and environment of the KAZA TFCA. To ensure developmental objectives and strategies of both wildlife and livestock are balanced and fully aligned within the KAZA TFCA, adequate information on the relative distribution of both wildlife and livestock at a fine scale is crucial. In addition, the distribution and availability of livestock, livestock trade and disease control infrastructure and support facilities and capacity should be understood in relation to wildlife and tourism development objectives. Gradients of natural resource availability across landscapes will further highlight areas where competition for resources could bring additional land use conflict. This information at a fine scale is considered of utmost importance for developing strategies to reduce wildlife-livestock conflict and to manage wildlife dispersal areas as effectively as possible. It is equally important for developing the most effective animal disease control and risk mitigation strategies in ways that benefit both biodiversity conservation and rural development, especially in priority wildlife dispersal areas (WDAs).
Project Overview
Determine and map the distribution and density of livestock (cattle mainly, but shoats also) at as fine a scale as possible by using all available data sources and collecting data where needed to fill gaps in priority areas to provide a robust, integrated source of livestock numbers and distribution, alongside that of wildlife throughout the KAZA TFCA. The aim is for such information to inform and guide the development of specific strategies and activities within KAZA, most notably that of human-wildlife conflict (HWC) mitigation, wildlife dispersal area (WDA) development, disease control, livelihood development, enterprise development, landscape restoration and climate change adaptation in line with the KAZA TFCA Treaty. Determine and map natural resource quality and availability gradients on the interface between wildlife and livestock systems to highlight areas of environmental degradation and where competition for grazing and water resources could bring about land use tension. where restoration should be prioritized. The Project will be conducted in a Phased approach with Phase I having been funded and launched in June 2024 finishing February 2025.
Project Process
1. DATA SOURCE MAPPING: (WHAT IS AVAILABLE?)
- Work with governments and key stakeholders to map and assess all available data sources for livestock (cattle and shoats) numbers and distribution. These will include data that can be shared from annual vaccination campaigns and censuses, aerial or ground-based surveys, recent disease risk assessment for fencing run by the KAZA AHSWG, routine wildlife monitoring and tracking in wildlife areas and conservancies, data from research networks, and Herding 4 Health implementation.
- Data on livestock support infrastructure such as slaughter facilities, quarantine facilities, auction points, inspection and handling points, transport networks.
- Data on livestock support services such as veterinary support, laboratories, cooperatives and sales outlets.
- Remote sensing and data otherwise available on rangeland condition, natural and artificial water availability across seasons
2. DATA SOURCE MAPPING: (WHAT IS AVAILABLE?)
- Define all the needs for livestock data across the KAZA and the scale and frequency of such needs to inform effective strategic planning, development, investment, and risk mitigation. Important considerations: HWC hotspots, resource competition, degradation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, wildlife dispersal areas, disease control status, trade development opportunities and limitations, fencing and fencing removal considerations, poverty alleviation implications, and wildlife corridor development through integrated land use planning.
3. ASSESS DATA SUITABILITY AND QUALITY: (IS IT COMPLETE AND SUFFICIENT?)
- Assess the spatial extent, quality, frequency, accuracy, completeness and repeatability of data and data sources with a high emphasis on spatial scale per priority areas, especially a) WDAs, b) priority fences and boundaries for animal disease control, c) HWC hotspots.
4. STRATEGY FOR PHASE II
- Determine the need for Phase II and the best ways to fill the information gaps identified in Phase I.
- Phase II strategy development with budget and stakeholder team with which to proceed.
